Becoming a Licensed Family Child Care Provider B All Our Kin July 2010 1
Introduction Congratulations on taking the first steps toward becoming licensed! The field of family child care is one that is both challenging and rewarding. You can look forward to running your own business while giving children the quality of care that they deserve. Our communities need more early caregivers like yourself who are willing to dedicate their time and energy to nurturing our youngest children. It can be a daunting task to become licensed, especially when you are tackling the process alone. We have created this handbook to answer your questions about licensing, as well as guide you on your way to becoming licensed. The staff at All Our Kin is here to help you, so if you have any additional questions, feel free to call us at 203-772-2294. As you begin the licensing process, you should obtain a copy of the Statutes and Regulations for Family Day Care Homes in the State of Connecticut. This document describes the licensing process for family child care providers and details the responsibilities that you will have as a licensed provider. Much of the information in this handbook comes from the Statutes and Regulations. To help you follow the two documents, we have noted places in the text where the Statutes (C.G.S.) and Regulations (R.C.S.A.) have been referenced. You can get a copy of the Statutes and Regulations by calling the Department of Public Health (800-282-6063, 800-439-0437, or 860-509-8045) or by visiting their website: www.ct.gov/dph. Important Note on Statutes and Regulations: This manual is not a substitute for the Statutes and Regulations. Always keep a copy of the Statutes and Regulations on hand, and refer to it when in doubt. Additional Disclaimer: This document is not legal advice. It should not be used in the place of seeking legal assistance from an attorney. When considering your options, signing agreements with DPH, or taking any other significant actions, we recommend that you consult a practicing attorney for assistance. 2
What is a licensed family child care? C.G.S 19a-77(a)(3) A family child care is a private family home setting where care is provided on a regular basis for at least three hours each day. A provider can care for up to six children, two of whom can be under two years old, including the provider s children who are not in school full time. During the regular school year, three additional children, including the provider s own children, can attend outside school hours. From Open your home to children and become a professional family child care provider! published by the New Haven School Readiness Council, the City of New Haven & the New Haven Public Schools. 3
How do I become licensed? C.G.S. 19a-87b 1. Get an application. Call the DPH Child Care Licensing Help Desk at: 860-509-8045, 800-282-6063, or 800-439-4037. Applications are also available online at: www.ct.gov/dph or available upon request from All Our Kin at 203-772- 2294. 2. Fill out and submit your application with an $80 licensing fee. 3. You will see that the application includes medical forms one form for adults, another for children. These need to be filled out for every member of your household. 4. The application will also include fingerprint cards. Every adult in your household over 16 years of age will need to be fingerprinted. They will also need to sign a release form permitting DPH to run a background check. A $19.25 fingerprint fee must be included for every set of fingerprints. You must send the fingerprint and release forms to a DIFFERENT address than the application. Be sure to read the application instructions carefully. 5. You will need to complete first aid training with a DPH-approved agency, and send in copies of your certification. Turn to the appendix on page 13 for a list of DPHapproved training programs and contact information. 6. Finally, DPH will contact you to make an inspection appointment to review your program site. Turn to page 8 for more information about the inspection. Generally, the licensing process takes 3 to 6 months. The longest part is the background check, so you should go ahead and send in your application and fingerprints even if you haven t yet completed your medical forms or first aid training. Depending on where you live, you may be eligible for resources to help you through the licensing process, including vouchers for first aid and CPR training, health and safety equipment, and program materials. Contact Nilda Aponte at All Our Kin, 203-772-2294, to learn more. 4
Do I need a license to provide care? There are very specific guidelines about when a provider does or does not need a license to provide care to children. When you need a license: Generally, if you care for any child one or more outside of their home for more than three hours a day, you need a license. C.G.S. 19a-77(a)(3) When you may not need a license: If you are related to the children that you are caring for either by blood or by marriage then you do not need a license. C.G.S. 19a-77(b)(4) Also, if you provide care for less than three hours each day, you may be exempt from the licensing process. If you are in this situation, you should contact the DPH Licensing Help Desk (800-282-6063, 800-439-0437, 860-509-8045) to review your individual situation. Depending on the number of children you care for, the ages of the children in your care, and their relation to you, you may or may not need a license. Why you would want to be licensed: If you provide care without a license and the state believes that you should have one, severe penalties may be inflicted upon you by DPH. You may be asked to pay a fine of up $100 a day for each day that you operate without a license. In order to protect yourself, you should not practice without a license. C.G.S. 19a-87c(a) Being licensed also has other benefits for you. Parents of the children you provide care for can have greater confidence in the care that you give if you practice with a license. Furthermore, you may be eligible for a variety of support services that are available only to licensed providers. You may receive higher state subsidies from the families that you serve. Care 4 Kids offers such subsidies through the Department of Social Services, and we recommend that you browse their website to learn more about the program: www.ctcare4kids.com. As a licensed provider, you will also join a professional community of providers that can be a great asset to you. Not only may you make valuable connections with others in your field of work, but you may also be eligible to receive services from professional support networks, such as financial scholarships, program assessments, and continued training and professional opportunities. As you are considering your options in child care, we recommend that you visit the Infoline website about becoming a child care professional: www.childcareinfoline.org/professionals/careerincc.asp. The website can help you determine whether a career in child care is right for you, and will offer added resources to help you start your own center. 5
Am I qualified to become a licensed provider? In order to become licensed, the state requires that you meet certain qualifications: Provider Qualifications: 20 years of age or older. Healthy enough physically, emotionally and mentally so that you can provide safe, nurturing care to your children. You need a negative TB test. Trained in first aid by a DPH-approved program. You must pass a background check with the state, the FBI and the Department of Children and Families. You should have certain personal qualities needed to work with children and their parents. These include patience, responsibility, flexibility, organization, and caring. R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-2(4), R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-6 Household Qualifications: Every member of your household over the age of 16 must also pass a background check with the state, the FBI and the Department of Children and Families. You must send in health records for all members of your household, both children and adults. All adults must submit a negative TB test. All children need current immunizations. R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-7 Facility Qualifications: Your home will need to be inspected in order to ensure that it meets state requirements for health and safety. Turn to page 8 for more information about the inspection process. G.C.S. 19a-87b(a) 6
Do my assistants need to be licensed? Any person that helps you on a regular basis with your child care must be approved by DPH through an application process. This application process may take some time, so plan ahead. You will need to send health records and fingerprint cards to DPH for each new staff member. The whole process generally takes at least three months. Staff members may not begin work until they are approved. R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-8 An assistant is someone who helps care for children while the head provider is present. An assistant must be 18 years or older. R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-8(b) A substitute is someone who may take over for the head provider if the provider is not present. A substitute must meet the same qualifications as the head provider. (See the list of provider qualifications on page 5 for details.) Any licensed provider may act as a substitute provider for any family child care. R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-8(a) Applications for staff approval (both assistant and substitute) are available online at: www.state.ct.us/dph, or available upon request by calling the Help Desk at 800-282-6063, 800-439-0437, 860-509-8045. I (or someone in my household) has a criminal record. Can I still become a family child care provider? Decisions about applicants are made on a case-by-case basis. If you or someone in your household has a criminal record, it may still be possible for you to become licensed. The convictions that will most hurt your chances to become licensed are the sale or manufacture of drugs, any crimes of violence or abuse, and any violation that brings harm to a child, including the case of impairing the morals of a minor. Smaller violations, particularly those of the distant past, are less likely to be sufficient reason for denying a license. C.G.S. 19a-87e(a) The most important thing to remember is to always be honest on the application. Lying or providing misleading information on an application is immediate grounds for denying an applicant. Having a criminal record is not. As long as DPH believes that you or another household member does not currently pose a threat to children, you may be eligible to receive your family child care license. 7
Preparing your home for inspection When DPH comes to your home for the initial inspection, they will be looking to see if your home meets minimum health and safety standards set by the state. These standards are described below and also in section R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-9 of the Connecticut Statutes and Regulations. For a copy of the full checklist that DPH uses on inspections, turn to page 12 of the appendix. The checklist below is a simplified version that focuses on the standards for the physical environment. Health and Safety Standards for Your Center clean, sanitary, without hazardous objects or equipment flammable, poisonous, potentially unsafe objects stored away from children (including all medications, in their original containers) facility safe against the risk of fire at least two means of safe escape to the outside from every room (one must be a door, one may be a window) fire evacuation plan at least one smoke detector on every level of the building at least one 5 lb multi-purpose fire extinguisher, visible and accessible safe electrical cords and appliances, outlets protected with covers doors designed so that children will not become trapped in a closed area stairways with handrails for children and child-safety gates at top and bottom guns stored unloaded, away from ammunition, in a locked storage space safe indoor and outdoor play spaces outdoor spaces must be protected from traffic and other hazards bodies of water must be fenced at least 4 feet off the ground sufficient light and ventilation, temperature never below 68 degrees Fahrenheit safe, clean water (must be approved by state if not from a public water source) water should be at a safe temperature (between 105 and 120 degrees Fahrenheit for washing hands) working telephone with emergency numbers visible nearby (including fire, ambulance, police or 911, parents, emergency caregivers, poison control and child abuse hotline) if you will be conducting field trips, safe transport must be used with proper child restraints first aid materials and instructions accessible to provider, away from children safe pets, if present (need a current rabies vaccination certificate for every dog or cat over 14 weeks old) if provider, staff or any household member smokes, parents must know this before enrolling their children; no one should smoke while in direct contact with children no pesticides around the facility, except under emergency circumstances 8
Does my family child care have to be in my home? Your child care does not have to be in your own home. It must be in a residential space such as a house or an apartment, but it is not necessary for anyone to be living in the space at the time. If anyone is living in the space, they will be treated as household members and will need to send in fingerprint cards and health records. C.G.S. 19a-77(a)(3) Can I provide child care in an apartment? Yes, you may provide child care in an apartment building. The apartment must meet the same health and safety standards as any home, and it should have enough space for you to run your program comfortably. Being located in an apartment should not stop you from opening a family child care. However, make sure that you check with your landlord to confirm that he or she is agreeable to you operating a child care program in the building. Can I open a family child care in a neighborhood with residential zoning? Family child care is exempt from zoning requirements, so you may operate a family child care business in a residential zone. C.G.S. 19a-87b(a) Do I need a backyard? You are not required by the state to have a backyard. However, if you don t have a backyard, you will need to have an alternate outdoor space where children can play safely. This might be a nearby park or playground that is easily accessible during the day. You will need to submit a written plan to DPH describing the alternate space and how you plan to use it. R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-9(f)(1) A written plan should include: Name of alternate facility Address of facility How far from your home the facility is located An activity plan for what the children will do at the facility Does my backyard need to be fenced? Not necessarily. There are no clear-cut rules about fencing, but if you have any hazards around your home (such as cliffs, water, traffic, etc.) your outside play area should always be fenced off. Even if the water is seasonal and is only present for a few months of the year, your yard should be fenced from this hazard year-round. Swimming pools also must be fenced with a barrier that reaches at least four feet off the ground. A licensing specialist or inspector can help you determine whether or not fencing will be needed in your backyard. R.C.S.A. 19a-87b-9(f) 9
Conclusion Congratulations on making it this far in the licensing process! You have gathered resources, planned for your program, and perhaps you have already begun the application process. You should be very proud of yourself for all your hard work. We want to wish you the best of luck as you complete the licensing process and open your own family child care. Once you have passed the licensing hurdle, you will be able to concentrate on creating a wonderful program to give your children the best care that you can. There are many resources available for licensed providers, including federal subsidies, program scholarships, training workshops, and other ongoing professional opportunities. You may decide to work toward receiving your child development degrees and credentials, or strive for accreditation of your program. Whatever your personal goals may be, there are countless resources available to give you the support that you need to do your important work. All Our Kin offers classes in child development training and provides ongoing professional resources to providers in our Family Child Care Network. If you are interested in learning more about any of our programs, please feel free to call us at 203-772-2294. Our staff members are happy to work with you in all aspects of your program, and will help you to find the resources that you need to maintain a highquality child care. For an additional list of resources, turn to the appendix on page 15. 10
Appendix DPH Inspection Form page 12 DPH-Approved Training Programs page 13-14 for First Aid and Infant/Toddler CPR Training Additional Resources page 15 11
DPH Inspection Form 12
DPH-Approved Training Programs (as of 6-15-10) 13
DPH-Approved Training Programs, continued 14
Additional Resources For technical assistance to start and run a licensed Family Child Care: Infoline: 800-505-1000 All Our Kin: 203-772-2294 For funding for home repairs & equipment: Brenda Burton-Seldon, Small Business Initiative: 203-946-7093 John Torello, CT Community Investment Corporation: 203-946-6172 For business and tax assistance and workshops: All Our Kin: 203-772-2294 Empower New Haven: 203-776-2777 For training, consultation & career development or information on the Child Development Associate (CDA) credential: ACES Early Childhood Services: 203-407-4441 All Our Kin: 203-772-2294 Casa Otoñal: 203-773-1847 Creating Curriculum: 203-562-5437 CT Charts-A-Course: 800-832-7784 Family Resource Centers: 203-946-6171 Gateway Community College: 203-285-2187 Infoline: 211 From Open your home to children... and become a professional family childcare provider! published by the New Haven School Readiness Council, the City of New Haven & the New Haven Public Schools 15